


a brief respite

by Shinkirou



Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Injury, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 06:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6791713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinkirou/pseuds/Shinkirou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of the Slate's destruction, Fushimi and Munakata have a conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a brief respite

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where this came from tbh??? I started it at like 1am and was done by like 4am, despite the fact that the LAST thing I should be doing is starting new fics... at least I finished it, I guess? Also it's only sort of vaguely shippy, hence the tags.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the drive back to Scepter4 is the fact that Munakata _falls asleep_. 

Fushimi's sitting next to him in the back of the van, having just let Munakata examine the wound in his thigh (not without some mild protesting due to the locational the wound as well as Fushimi's poor choice of tighter-than-usual-pants, but Munakata had brushed aside all protests regardless, obviously concerned about simply leaving an open wound gaping like that); Fushimi himself was worried about the dried blood on Munakata's temple, but he's been assured that that blow wasn't as bad as it seemed. 

Of course, Fushimi doesn't quite believe that, and with the way Munakata's passed out, it seems like he _might_ have a concussion. But since he was walking and talking normally up to this point, if he does have a concussion after all, the sleep is doing him good, despite popular belief. 

Still... The other injury - the one inflicted by Awashima - makes Fushimi curious. It isn't like he doubts Munakata deserved it, don't get him wrong, it's just that it's _bruising_. Right on his stupidly pretty face, there's now the beginnings of an ugly yellow-purple bruise. 

Absently, and perhaps somewhat morbidly, Fushimi pokes it, thinking that yes, Munakata deserved it after all. 

Munakata flinches back, though, eyes open and immediately fixating on Fushimi - fast enough that Fushimi jolts, too. He hadn't expected Munakata to react so suddenly, particularly because it had only been a gentle poke. 

Munakata blinks; once, twice in rapid succession, then relaxes down again, smiling as if he hadn't just scared Fushimi half out of his skin. "Ah, Fushimi-kun, my apologizes. Were you intending on striking me as well? I promise I won't flinch away this time." And he's closing his eyes just like that, peaceful as you please. 

Fushimi clicks his tongue. "I wasn't going to hit you, I was just checking how bad it was. It's already bruising, you know."

Munakata's eyes open again. "Yes, of course." Then a pause, recognition flickering across his eyes, "... I see. You've never seen me bruise." 

Fushimi nods, gently. It's... Strange, for him, to see Munakata injured. He can probably count on one hand the number of times he's seen it in the past, and last time... Was before their 'fight'. The time before that was the school island incident. This time, Munakata almost died, and so did Fushimi himself. 

None of them are particularly good memories. 

"Even so, it doesn't surprise me that it is bruising. It was quite the hit. I suppose I _did_ deserve it, though." 

Fushimi gives him a flatly annoyed look. "You 'suppose'? Captain, you... You know better than anyone that the Lieutenant gave up a lot to follow you. She's not the only one, but she was the first, and you tried to make her kill you. Of course she was pissed off at you." 

"... Is Fushimi-kun not mad at me?"

Fushimi scoffs. "Does it matter if I am?"

Munakata looks briefly surprised, then slips into that annoyingly sincere expression of his. "Of course. I always value your feelings and opinions."

It isn't as though Fushimi wasn't aware of that, but he glances away anyway. Having such concern openly expressed for him always makes him feel strange. This isn't the sort of job where he has to be friends with his coworkers, despite his King - his former King, now, he supposes - making various attempts to get them all to be closer; Fushimi's never needed it. He does his job and does it well, content to carry out Munakata's wishes, even when he has to bend or break some rules to do it, and Munakata has always been far more lenient with him than anyone else. Fushimi is Munakata's "favourite" - he knows that. Hell, he's used it to his advantage. 

But right now, Fushimi's not even entirely sure what he's feeling. Part of him is mad, yeah, but he's not entirely sure why. Or maybe he _is_ and just doesn't want to think about it. He's not mad about their "fight" from before, though; Munakata's already apologized despite Fushimi insisting it was unnecessary - though honestly it _had_ hurt, more than expected, despite him brushing it off, and the apology _did_ help. He's not mad about the mission itself, either. Logically, he understands that, due to his background, he was the only one who could have infiltrated JUNGLE so easily. He's not stupid enough to believe that Hisui ever thought Fushimi was actually on his side - and he knows Munakata didn't believe that, either, hence his reluctance to send Fushimi on the mission in the first place, despite the necessity of it - so while he knew he'd be in danger, it wasn't like it was a risk he was unwilling to take. 

For Munakata's sake... 

Munakata's hum snaps him out of his thoughts. "You seem like you _are_ annoyed with me, after all."

"... I am."

Munakata tilts his head, curious - he knows better than to pry, but Fushimi's not usually one to hold back on his criticisms of his Captain. Instead, Fushimi looks away again, agitation growing. "Stop it."

Naturally, that only makes Munakata look vaguely confused. "Stop what?"

"Being so... Infuriating."

"... I'm afraid I'm not sure what I'm doing that's annoying you, so I'm unsure how to stop." 

Fushimi clicks his tongue, glaring at Munakata, now, but it lacks its usual heat and he knows it. "You... You know why we're mad at you, right?" Munakata, for all his terrifying ability to predict others' moves well in advance and anticipate everything, can be awfully dense when it comes to some things. Emotions seem to be one of those things. But even _he_ can't be unaware of the reason why everyone was so upset with him, right?

Munakata's gaze, surprisingly, averts itself. He stays silent. 

Fushimi blinks. "... Are you just being stubborn or do you actually not know?"

Munakata frowns gently, but it clearly isn't about the criticism from Fushimi. "Well, I imagine it isn't just _one_ thing that any of you are upset about..." 

"That's surprisingly insightful for someone who was all ready to make someone who cares about him kill him without any remorse or thought." Awashima, of course - he doesn't mean it in the romantic sense, but there's no denying the mutual respect and admiration between Munakata and Awashima. 

"It wouldn't have needed to be her, but I would like to think nobody would have allowed me to go out like Kagutsu." Now his smile is bitterly amused. "It wasn't that I wasn't thinking of her - I knew it would hurt her, but Zenjou-san was being... _Unreliable_ , and I couldn't afford to have him falter. It was only out of necessity that I asked."

Fushimi understands that much. That part isn't the issue; he gives Munakata a flatly unimpressed look when he continues, "Sure, but then you said it was almost a shame that you didn't get to see if she would or not."

Munakata's smile looks a bit more self-depreciative now. "... She told you that, did she? I'll admit that was... Rather thoughtless of me."

Fushimi rolls his eyes. _"That's_ an understatement. For such a so-called genius, you can certainly be oblivious sometimes." 

"I suppose I can, yes." But that's something Munakata was already aware of, himself, Fushimi knows. He remembers hearing from Munakata's family how Munakata was even worse about it as a child... It must have been hard for him, but Fushimi doesn't pity him. Munakata doesn't need pity. "But, while that does indeed explain why Awashima-kun is mad at me, it does not speak for _your_ annoyance, Fushimi-kun." 

"If you're being self-reflective, figure it out on your own." 

Munakata chuckles quietly under his breath - the sound actually catches Fushimi somewhat off-guard, but he does his best not to let that show. It's not quite sincerely amusement, but considering the day they've had, Fushimi's surprised to have heard it at all. Then again, Munakata's always been good at faking his emotions if he thinks it's better to do so in any given situation. "You just told me I'm oblivious, now you want me to figure out why you're upset?"

"Yeah." 

Munakata still looks more amused than anything. "Then, might I be right in suspecting you're mad because of my nonchalant attitude about my near-death?" 

... For someone so oblivious, he really can be observant. Or maybe he's just good at reading Fushimi, the thought of which makes Fushimi shudder. Still, he nods. "... We both could have died. I knew that, and I went into the mission knowing that." But that didn't mean he wanted it to happen, obviously. Unfortunately, Fushimi's never been good at talking about emotions, whether his own or someone else's, and he's already said more than he thought he would.

Munakata picks up nevertheless, "But you were hoping that I had some plan to get myself out of it, if it came down to it?"

Fushimi clicks his tongue. "Not really. I knew you'd die if you felt like you had to." Realistically, he knew that. Munakata was that sort of person. "I just didn't think you'd be so stupid as to throw yourself into a fight like that and get your ass handed to you. It's not like you."

Munakata tenses up at that for reasons Fushimi doesn't understand - it's not like his criticisms of his Captain are anything new, after all, so he doesn't get why Munakata looks so bothered all of a sudden - but he relaxes again quickly enough that if Fushimi hadn't been looking at him, he never would have noticed in the first place. Munakata's smile turns a bit softer. "... You're right. I suppose I was just desperate." 

"Desperate? For what? You already knew Weismann's plan. Or were you more afraid of your Sword coming down sooner than expected?"

Munakata's expression gets a little strange again, but then he muses, "Running until the end of my rope... You're right, it's unlike me." 

Somehow, though, Fushimi gets the feeling Munakata's not talking only to Fushimi himself. 

Munakata continues, though, before Fushimi can question it, shaking his head and smiling. "Not quite - or rather, yes, that's it, but that's only part of it. I'll admit I was being reckless... But I also wanted to be there for _you._ I needed to know if you were alright, and although I'd hired Ninja-san--"

"Stop it."

"-- to help you, I wasn't sure she would make it to you in time. I didn't know if I could do anything, but... I wanted to at least be there for you if I could."

Munakata turns that soft, caring smile on him; Fushimi glances away. Why would his Captain care so much about being there? If Fushimi had died, Munakata would have just had to accept it. It wasn't like there was anything he could have done in that case. And it was too dangerous for him to jump into the fray himself, since he might - well, would - have ended up being stuck with no way out, if he wasn't around anyone else who still had their powers, after the Slate was destroyed. Fushimi also knows that Yata was too stupid to pick up on Fushimi's hints earlier, so... Munakata must have sent _him_ after Fushimi, too, despite the fact that Fushimi knows Munakata holds very little regard for Yata in general. 

"... Why? There wasn't anything you could have done anyway." 

"I know. I just wanted to be there to welcome you home, in the event that you were able to return."

 _Home._ Munakata said it so casually, but... It is, isn't it? Obviously in the literal sense Fushimi's been living in the dorms for several years now, but even in the familial sort of meaning of the word, it's true. 

He'd acknowledged Munakata as his one true King, so it's only natural that he accepts Scepter4 as being his home. 

His tongue clicks. Munakata looks amused. "Whatever."

"I'm glad you're back, Fushimi-kun. I'm sorry you were injured, but you're safe now." 

"Shut up. I know that. I'm fine, stop being so sentimental." 

"Sorry, sorry."

He doesn't sound sorry at all, but Fushimi doesn't bother pointing that out. "Go back to sleep already, you're annoying."

"Fushimi-kun is so harsh." 

"Annoying."

Munakata chuckles, but lifts a hand - for a moment Fushimi thinks it might be to... Pat him on the shoulder or something, but Munakata only removes his glasses, folding them and setting them on the table in front of him. Then he's looking at Fushimi.

Fushimi ignores him for a few seconds, then gives in, glancing back, "What?" Munakata without his glasses looks younger - no. Looks his age, maybe; despite his high ranking position and all the responsibilities on his shoulders, behind all that pomp and formality, he's only twenty five. Seeing him look it is... Disconcerting. Fushimi isn't used to thinking of his Captain as a human, let alone a man only a few years older than himself. 

Munakata doesn't say anything immediately, though; his expression suggests he's waiting for something, but Fushimi's not sure what. 

Of course, the silence and continued staring just annoy him - Fushimi goes to tell him off, only to have Munakata speak up, "Is Fushimi-kun glad to be returning?"

"... What sort of question is that?" Munakata should know better than to ask about Fushimi's feelings. 

Still, he seems expectant, "You don't have to answer directly. But if you agree with my having called Scepter4 your home..."

Fushimi blinks, uncomprehending for another second before it dawns on him. Somehow the thought is a little embarrassing - he's not a child, and he can't remember the last time he had anyone to say "I'm home" to, let alone anyone who would say "Welcome home" in return. He gives Munakata an incredulous look. 

Munakata meets his gaze head-on, though Fushimi can't tell if Munakata thinks he'll really give in or not. 

Fushimi glances away. "... Just go back to sleep already." 

Munakata doesn't say anything, or do anything, but Fushimi feels like maybe his Captain is a little sad. Geez... Selfish. But he holds his ground nevertheless, and things fall silent between them. 

... Only when Fushimi's one hundred percent certain that Munakata's nearly unconscious does he mumble, "I'm home."

Munakata smiles, eyes opening, but not wide enough that he's waking up, clearly groggy as he murmurs back, "Welcome home." 

And when Munakata slumps against Fushimi in his sleep, Fushimi doesn't even shove him away.

**Author's Note:**

> I forgot to mention - I totally take requests over on [my writing tumblr!](http://illusomnia.tumblr.com) And I'm more than happy to just chat in general, if anyone would be interested in that. <3 [Here's](http://shinkirxu.tumblr.com) my personal blog.


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